51. ‘The Brilliant Women Collection’ by Eve Merrier

The Book:

Role models. There are thousands upon thousands of women out there, splashed across magazines, catwalks and screens, that girls look up to, particularly pop stars, actresses and models. But with all the glitz and glam of celebrity, can we really be sure young women are looking up to the right people?

In this book, Eve Merrier has compiled a collection of women she thinks truly deserve admiration, but may have gone unnoticed by many because they don’t fit into the restrictive niche offered by modern day celebrity status.

Merrier’s book is divided into several categories, named after the qualities displayed by these particular women: Brave/Strong, Inventive, Cooperative, Political, Genuine and Determined. She gives a brief account of each inspiring lady and the ways in which they are worthy of being called role models. Also – and I found this especially interesting – Merrier describes how these women have influenced and inspired her.

There are some truly amazing stories in this collection. I loved reading about Julie Walters and Victoria Wood: one of my favourite double acts (have you seen ‘Acorn Antiques’? If not, find it!). My personal favourite story has to be the WAAF (Woman’s Auxiliary Air Force) member who had to pilot a plane she had never flown before. She got behind the wheel, completely unfazed, and asked for a second parachute to sit on so that she could see out the window. Awesome.

I think this is a book that every young woman should read, as it provides some essential perspective, brought together by Merrier’s confident voice. Her introduction alone holds a clear and excellent message for young wome, to aspire to something more than fame for the sake of fame.

What these brilliant women show us is that we should put women on a pedestal, not when they squeeze themselves into a size zero or withstand ten plastic surgeries, but when they work hard and succeed in whatever they decide to do, be it acting, modelling, writing, campaigning, politics, fashion or sport. Of course, thinking like this inevitably leads to the understanding that this message transcends the issue of gender, and applies to humanity at large.

“We have a hunger of the mind which asks for knowledge of all around us, and the more we gain, the more is our desire; the more we see, the more we are capable of seeing.”
– Maria Mitchell

The Background:

I got to know Eve – who has a great blog of her own – through Google+, so when she got in touch ask if I’d like to review her book, I was more than happy to oblige. Of course, it’s also highly motivating to see somebody of a similar age to me writing something and putting it out there. Maybe it’s time I stop procrastinating and do the same thing!

If you enjoyed my review, why not buy the book and let me know what you think?